When In Greece
by SpaceMondeyGirls
Summary: On a routine mission, SG1 is captured by a Greek goddess. Daniel befriends her, Sam fixes things, Jack shoots bad guys, and Teal’c stands quietly and looks imposing... CHAPTER 4 NOW UP, 5 to follow soon.
1. Chapter One: Moving Out

A/N: We, Quinn and Danielle, announce the birth our very first, brand-spanking rosy newborn baby story, _'When In Greece..."_ . We are so very pleased to be joining the ranks of the 'Writers Who Have Actually Posted Their Stories'. We hope you enjoy our tale, and feel free to review anytime a particular thought strikes you. We welcome all comments, suggestions, praise, or even criticism. Now. Go read. Go on! What are you waiting for?

Disclaimer: As much as we wish that Jack, Daniel, Jonas, and Martouf were ours to do with as we will, they are not. In fact, we own nothing. Except the plot. Yep. That's ours.

Spoilers: Mostly 'In The Line Of Duty', but anything through season seven is fair game.

Summary: On a routine mission, SG-1 is captured by a Greek goddess. Daniel befriends her, Sam fixes things, Jack shoots bad guys, and Teal'c stands quietly and looks imposing...

Timeline: This story exists out of regular time. I suppose you could call it AU, but only in a very mild sense. We will probably refer to episodes up to and through season 7, but Martouf is alive, as is Doc Fraisier

Pairings: We haven't decided yet, but there will be no slash. Ever. shudder

**Stargate Command**

"Ookay, let's go. Move out. _Vamanos_." Jack waved his gun towards the active gate, and tilted his head in the same general direction. Teal'c raised a characteristic eyebrow, and stepped onto the ramp.

"Shall I take point O'Neill?"

"Oh, why not. Have at it, T. Carter! Daniel! Today!"

The loudspeaker clicked on and Carter's voice came across,"I'll be right there, sir."

"I'm here. I'm waiting," Daniel looked up. He had apparently been fiddling with one of the many pockets on his vest.

"Good. Carter, see Daniel? He's a good boy. He packed his lunch. What're you doing?"

"I'm double checking the computer's drift calculations. Remember a few years ago when I didn't do it right, and we ended up in 1969? This time, if I don't finish here, we might end up in the future."

"Oh. That's bad. How long? Take much longer, and the White House is gonna short out."

"I'm done," she turned the microphone off, and entered the gate room a moment later. "Ready."

"Damn. And I wanted to meet my grand kids. All right, c'mon." Jack followed Teal'c up the the ramp, and stepped through the gate.

**P2X-935**

The team emerged on the other side, and found themselves surrounded by sparse tree cover, and low bushes. There seemed to be a path leading off to the left.

"Carter," said Jack. "Remind me again. Why are we here?"

"Ruins, sir."

"Yes, where are the ruins?" Daniel turned in a circle. "SG-3's report said there was a temple north of here... somewhere."

"North...That's left. A path. How convenient. How...storybook." Jack again, of course. "Let's...Does anyone hear that?"

"Hear what?" Carter looked around.

"That sound." Jack clarified vaguely. The noise he was referring to became apparent soon after, a loud humming. "Oh, damn. Take cover!" He hurried into the trees just as a trio of gliders came over the hill which lay directly in front of the gate.

"Oh, I hope that's just a patrol," Daniel complained as he ducked behind a shrubby bush. Carter swung her P-90 into firing position and waited to see if they had been spotted. Jack leveled his own weapon against a low branch.

"You will lower your weapons immediately!" came the sharp order behind him.

"Ah, damn." Jack said again. "Carter?"

It did not take them long to discern that they were surrounded.

"Oh, I hate it when that happens." Jack complained.

A/N: Yes, we know, that was ridiculously short, and more than a little abrupt. More will be forthcoming, if this was enjoyable...


	2. Chapter Two: Demeter's Domain

A/N: Having noted that 630 word chapters bring very few reviews, (kisses and cookies to xandria), and just plain look bad, we've made this one a little longer.

Also, from now on, we're changing our author's notes a little. From now on, 'A/N' means the note comes from both of us, 'Q/N' means a note from Quinn, and 'D/N' means a note from Danielle.

And now our feature presentation...

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SG-1 was escorted along the path they had been heading for, and the gliders continued back and forth above them.

"They're going to find the hundreds of soldiers we brought with us." Jack lamented. Carter gave him a small smile, as she usually did when he cracked jokes in desperate situations. Granted, they weren't desperate just yet, but 'promising' wasn't the best word to use either. They came over the ridge, and were greeted by the view of a massive valley. The crowning glory of the river-carved feature seemed to be the towering silver-hued structure built into the near end of the valley. Jack let out a low whistle.

"Nice pad. Whose is it?" He was quickly rewarded with the flat end of the nearest Jaffa's staff weapon, which was driven into the back of his neck.

"It is the dominion of Demeter, as is the ground you walk upon! You will show due respect!"

"Demeter? As in, Greek goddess of the earth and fertility?" Daniel inquired.

"Silence!" Daniel received the same reprimand which Jack had just endured.

"Ow," he mumbled, but refrained from speaking further.

it did not take long before they had followed the narrowing path, which ran along the very edge of the valley, to the gates of the upper levels of the structure. Large gates opened, and the group proceeded inwards. They were offered many strange looks by the Jaffa inside, who all bore the same symbol. Jack secretly thought that it resembled a chicken's footprint, but to anyone who knew it, it was a three branched plant. Daniel seemed to know what it meant, though. He was staring at the walls as they passed by, apparently finding them interesting enough not to be terribly worried about their situation.

They were brought into a large room, at the end of which was a great silver throne. On it sat a tall woman, dressed in green, with silver hair which fell around her shoulders.

"Who are these?"

"Spies of some kind, my lady."

"I see. Which of you is the leader?"

Daniel pushed past Jack and knelt on the floor at her feet, "Milady. I am called- Khartoum, and I command these."

Jack gave him a sideways 'what the hell are you doing' look.

"Apologies, ma'am. This is my...somewhat deranged companion. I'm the leader. Daniel, sit your ass down."

Daniel rose and glared fiercely at Jack.

The woman observed this calmly.

"Since you cannot seem to agree, I will have to assume that you rule this group together, and do not know how to share the leadership."

"Ahh..." Jack pondered that thought. "No?"

"Take the others to confinement." she ordered, tapping her long-nailed fingers on the arm of the throne. "Leave...this one to me." She nodded towards Daniel. The Jaffa complied, and all but three of them jerked Jack, Carter, and Teal'c to their feet, leading them out as Daniel was left between two of the remaining guards. He looked around, frowning. This was not exactly what he had hoped for. _Keep your wits about you, Danny,_ he thought, analyzing the situation to the best of his abilities. He was not a military man, but the past few years hadn't taught him nothing of tactics.

"On your knees!" the Jaffa to his left commanded, bringing his staff weapon against the back of Daniel's legs.

"Calm yourself, Priam." The woman raised her formerly concealed left hand, revealing a hand device of shining silver. She descended the throne, and stepped towards him. Her features seemed to contradict the color of her hair, and as she stepped closer, Daniel could see that she was quite young. There was an air of imperious mirth in her eyes, as if the world were hers and it amused her greatly. Daniel raised his head slowly, cautious of another blow, and looked up at her. He allowed a tentative smile to cross his face, but dropped his head to his chest again.

"You are not one to carry the name Khartoum. Perhaps you will share with me your true identity?" She circled him slowly, allowing one hand to trail from his left shoulder to his right as she came around to face him again.

"Daniel, milady. I am sorry for the deception."

"It is quite forgiven. I am Persephone. From where have you come?"

"A planet far from here. We call it Earth, but that's very general term. You might know it as the place where Zeus first held power."

Persephone smiled.

"Earth. I know earth. I remember it well. I was born there, and it was there I lived, until...Until Hades came. That was long ago. With my mother's assistance, I have since escaped his grasp, but we were forced to flee the planet. I did love it."

"Yes...I know. I am a scribe, in a manner of speaking. A priest, if you will," he lifted his head again, sensing that she held some interest in him.

"A priest...fascinating. Of what order?"

"None. I know the history of many...mortals. I have studied extensively."

"Then you are a man of wisdom." Persephone said, sounding more as if that were simply her conclusion, rather than that it was something which impressed her. "Wisdom is a powerful tool, in the right hands. Will you stay?"

"I cannot stay forever, milady, much as I would wish to. I am needed on my world. My team needs me."

"Team? Those you lead? I see. I believe that I will let you go, but first, you must answer my questions. Is that acceptable?"

"That would depend on the question, milady, but I will try."

"Excellent." Persephone took a seat on the base of a pillar nearby, and gestured to the guard, who stepped away from Daniel, allowing him to move freely.

"First." she began. "I must know. I have not seen my mother for many tens of years. Know you of her location?" Her eyes were filled with an eager light, as if hope had been handed to her, and she had only to take it.

"We have not seen her for many hundreds of years, either. I am sorry," Daniel smiled apologetically as he rose to his feet. The hope in her eyes died.

"Are you certain? She was very kind. She never wished to rule over others the way many of our kind do. When I came of age, she left this place. She told me that there were others...others who believed as she did, that it was wrong to use the bodies of innocents for our own purposes. She went to find them. I have only received word from her once since then. It was very cryptic. But I have memorized every word...almost every word, for it is all I have had of her since she departed. She said "I have found those I have been seeking. I will remain. I trust you with what we have built. Live as we have spoken." Persephone bowed her head. "And that was all. She signed her name. It was a name not her own, not one that I had previously heard...And I cannot remember it." Tears came to her eyes. "I cannot remember!" She stood up, abruptly. Daniel went to her side and reached out, hesitantly brushing a tear from her face.

"Try. If you could remember, perhaps we could find her."

"I have tried!" She turned, and met his eyes. "I have tried..." There was a moment of silence, and the light came back into her gaze. "Jolinar. She signed her name as Jolinar, and something else. But I cannot remember what else. It was very strange, oh, I do not know!"

Daniel dropped his hand, confusion spreading across his face, "Jolinar? If she signed her name so, how did you know it was her?"

"The message...it was as if she had spoken it. I knew the words. She was the only one who knew that she had traveled away from this place, and that we had built it together."

"I see. How long ago was this?"

"How long?" Persephone's face grew clouded. "I do not know. When I lost her...when she left, I grew quite despondent. I am not even sure how long I have lived. Do you know anything of my mother?"

"I am not sure. I must confer with my advisors before speaking further. Would you allow me to have words with them?"

"I will..."

At that moment, there was a great commotion in the hall. The rest of SG-1 came into the room in quite a rush, Jack at point, holding his zat.

"Step away from him, jolly green...ahh...woman." he said, pointing the weapon at Persephone. "Daniel, c'mon. We're gonna get out of here."

"O'Neill, you will put that weapon down _at once_," Daniel commanded, his voice coming across very strongly. "Carter, Teal'c. Please. This is the great lady Persephone. She is a friend."

Jack raised an eyebrow.

"Ahh...no? Daniel, get over here. We don't have a lot of time."

Persephone looked from Daniel to Jack and back again.

"Am I to surrender?" she wondered.

"No, lady. I will deal with this," Daniel reached down and pulled out his 9mm, which had been returned to him after the rest of SG-1 had been taken away. He took aim carefully and confidently at Jack's shoulder. "This insubordination is unseemly, Jack. Give me the weapon, before I am forced to harm you. I will not ask again. "

Jack stared at him.

"Daniel, what the hell are you on?"

Daniel flicked the safety on his gun off with his thumb and cocked the weapon deliberately. Jack set his zat down carefully, and motioned for Carter and Teal'c to do the same.

"Care to tell me what's going on?"

Daniel smiled beatifically, "Thank you. Milady, I apologize. My advisors do not understand. I will explain to them, if you would grant me a moment."

"Of course." She nodded generously. "Would you like for me to leave you alone?"

"That will not be necessary. We shall retreat to the far corner to converse," he gave her a half bow, then walked across the room, hissing quietly as he passed Jack, "If we could please retreat to the far corner?"

Jack agreed, and followed him.

"Explanation?" he requested.

"Persephone," he said glancing across the room at said goddess. "It's Persephone."

Jack gave him his characteristic 'and that means I should care...why?' look.

"You two go back aways?"

"No, no, no, it's Demeter's daughter. You remember the Jaffa that brought us here said that it was Demeter's dominion? Well, Persephone is her daughter, and I think she's Tok'Ra."

"So why's she got Jaffa running around?" Jack pointed out.

"Well, you kind of interrupted before I got to that part, but from what I can tell, she's a benevolent goddess. Well not goddess, but you know what I mean. It fits in with the mythology. Jack, I think we may have a real find here."

"Are we forgetting something? Like the fact that she threw us in _prison_. Granted, a well-lit, comfortably furnished prison, but still..."

"Jack...this may be for real this time. Imagine what she could do to help us."

Carter, who had been listening with a thoughtful frown, broke in, "But Daniel, we don't _know _that. What if she _isn't _Tok'ra? This could all be an elaborate plot to gain information."

"What she said." Jack nodded towards Carter. "And if she _is_ Tok'ra, how come we've never heard of her before?"

"I don't think they knew she was here. She's, well, let me put this as plainly as possible. She says she's the daughter of Jolinar."

"And you believe her." Jack said, incredulously. "Carter, what've you got to say about that?"

Sam sighed and looked at Daniel with a trace of pity in her eyes, "It sounds...unlikely. I'm sorry, Daniel, but I think I would have found out about something like that before now."

"Daniel," said Jack, thoughtfully, which was rare. "Do you really trust her?"

He paused, some of his excitement draining away, "Do you trust ME, Jack?"

Jack sighed.

"We all trust you, Daniel. You know that. We just don't know why you're suddenly so willing to trust someone you've never even met."

"I _know _I'm right this time. I- I sense it. I don't know why, I can't explain. But I'm just about positive she's Tok'Ra."

Jack rubbed his forehead with one hand.

"Okay. All right. Daniel, if you think you can get us out of this mess, go ahead."

"Well I wouldn't be yelling at you if I thought I couldn't," he said, and went back to Persephone's side. He dropped to one knee briefly before speaking. "Milady, I have conferred with my companions, and they agree- we must speak with our sovereign before giving any information. If you would allow us to send a message through the chapa'ai, we could reach a decision within a matter of hours."

Persephone laughed.

"Rise. And I will allow you to contact your people,certainly. Priam!" The tall, golden-haired Jaffa who was apparently her right-hand man, came forward. "See the visitors to the portal. Let them communicate with their home world."

Priam ducked his head in acknowledgment.

"Come with me." he directed. Daniel nodded and beckoned to the others to follow him. They did so, and were lead back in the direction they had come, back to the Stargate.

"Now, we just tap our heels together, and say 'There's no place like home, there's no place like home..." Jack directed.

"No, we follow the cowardly lion to the stargate and contact General Hammond."

Jack gave Daniel his third incredulous glance that day.

"Right. Carter, have at...Um, did it just get dark?"

Indeed it had, the sky had filled with great grey clouds, and a bolt of lightning darted to the ground not far off. It was followed by a loud rumble of thunder. Priam looked greatly confused.

"Something is amiss!" he determined. "We must return to the palace!"


	3. Chapter Three: Mice and Men

A/N: Here we are at chapter three. We hope you enjoy, sorry for the delay. We've been hard at work on chapter six. Kisses and cookies to our reviewers, FreakieDK, KatieMichelleBelle, BigFatBirdWithNoLegs, xandria, and LiRa.

And just in case anyone cares, this story is written in a roleplay format. Quinn writes Jack, Teal'c, Persephone, Martouf. Danielle writes Daniel and Sam. We take turns with Hades.

LiRa, we might consider doing a crossover if ever SAW Hercules or Xena, lol.

D/N: xandria, you said that name! AHH! hides poor Danny from the ebil Hath-whore

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Four gliders came over the hill. Jack waved to them, but instead of passing by as he had expected, they circled around, and returned. Once they were within range, they opened fire. The ground exploded all around the team, sending rocks and dirt flying. The gliders then turned, and disappeared over the horizon. When the dust had settled, Priam was lying motionless beside a large boulder, and Jack appeared to be gnawing on the back of his right hand while his other clutched his left thigh.

"Agh." he said. "Ah, damn. Daniel, you son of a..."

"Sir!" Carter belly-crawled to his side, "Are you all right?"

"Yeah...no, yeah, I'm fine. I think my leg's...where's Daniel?"

"He's...over there. I think he got thrown a few feet in that last explosion, but he's all right. Just got the wind knocked out of him. Let me see your leg."

Jack moved his hand. It appeared that a fragment of rock had been imbedded in his leg in the explosion, but it was not bleeding profusely.

"That _bitch_. Daniel trusted her."

"Actually, sir, he never said that he did. This may hurt a little," she said, and before he even realized what she was doing, had jerked the sliver of stone out.

"CARTER!" Jack bit down on his hand, then let out another mild expletive from the pain caused by that. "What the _hell_?"

"Sorry," she pressed a hand down on the wound, carefully, but hard enough to stem the bleeding. "Daniel!"

"Yeah, I'm here. I think," he rolled to a sitting position, one hand on his right ankle.

"Give me your bandana!"

"Right," he pulled it off his head and hobbled over, placing it in Carter's hand. She wrapped it around the colonel's leg, biting her lip in concentration as she struggled to tie it. Her fingers, wet with blood, slipped several times before she managed to knot it securely.

"Daniel, what's wrong with your leg?" Jack asked, in an obvious attempt to ignore the excruciating pain in his leg.

"Oh, it's fine, I just turned an ankle. How's yours?"

"Great, wonderful. Your girlfriend really screwed us over good."

"I do not believe that was her intention." Teal'c announced, solemnly. "Her own first prime is dead." He was kneeling beside Priam's still form.

"We should get back to the stargate," Carter said. "I don't have the supplies to tend to this properly here."

"Maybe Persephone could help?" suggested Daniel. "She might have a healing device. I don't think Jack could make it all the way to the stargate on that leg."

"It's fifty feet away, Daniel." Jack pointed out. Daniel was about to comment that it was more like fifty yards, but at that moment, another group of Jaffa came out of the woods.

"You must return with us!" they ordered. "Make haste! Before the enemy returns!" Two of them hoisted Priam's body onto their shoulders, and another pair carefully helped Jack, wincing, to his feet. "Come with us."

Daniel looked to Jack, questioning him silently. Jack swallowed, and nodded. The Jaffa started back, at a rather rapid rate, towards the palace. Persephone came rushing out to meet them, her guard close on her heels.

"Oh, dear Zeus. What has happened?"

"You tell me!" Jack demanded.

"Gliders, lady," Daniel explained. "Do you know anything about them?"

Persephone paled visibly.

"Priam!" she exclaimed. "Oh, no. Is he..."

"He has passed beyond." said one of the Jaffa who bore him. Persephone's eyes filled with tears again. "Come inside." she told them, then turned and hurried back through the gates. As they all entered the throne room once more, they could see that the Jaffa inside were running to and fro, entering and exiting in a great hurry.

"Lady, can you help my companion? He has been wounded badly."

She glanced from Daniel to Jack, then to one of the Jaffa.

"Take the wounded one to the healers." she directed. They complied, and Jack was lead away, through another door, with Carter close behind him.

"My lady! There is a transmission coming through!" another Jaffa reported.

"Let me see." she ordered. A holographic screen flickered on in the center of the room, and the features of a handsome, imperious man with characteristically glowing eyes appeared on it.

"Persephone." he said. "This is quite a surprise."

"Hades." she acknowledged. "Quite an unpleasant surprise, I agree. What are you doing here?"

"I have come to reclaim what is mine." he said. "You will return with me."

"Turn it off." Persephone said. "I do not need to listen to this coward's dictatorial whims."

The screen was deactivated, and Persephone shed her calm bravado.

"How did he find me?" she muttered. "We have not enough to defend ourselves, there is no hope."

"We will die before we let him take you, milady." said the nearest Jaffa.

"Milady?" Daniel spoke up. "Come with us. We will keep you safe from the Lord Hades."

Persephone gave a grateful glance in the direction of the Jaffa who had spoken, then turned to Daniel with a similar expression.

"Come with you? Through the chapa'ai? But we cannot reach it. His ships have surrounded the palace. We could not escape. He would destroy us. And besides. Even if I could, I would not abandon my people. They trust me, and I will not leave them to the mercy of Hades."

"Surely there is a way we can escape this place without Hades' knowledge."

"That is what disturbs me the most. If we should manage it, he would continue to assault the valley, believing that my people are hiding me. They would suffer greatly for my sake, and I am not willing to let that happen."

"But won't he do the same even if you don't leave?"

"No. Not if..." Persephone stood up. "If I should go with him."

"No! You cannot!"

Persephone raised an eyebrow.

"I cannot? And you will stop me, I suppose?"

He met her eyes evenly.

"Yes. I would."

She appeared mildly amused by this.

"My _mother_ could not keep me safe from him. And you think you could?"

"I would remind you, Daniel Jackson, that interfering in the affairs of system lords without consulting first with Stargate command has proven less than prudent in the past." Teal'c told him.

"Teal'c. This is different. It's an emergency."

"I do not understand precisely what you intend to do."

Persephone sighed.

"Nothing. He's going to do nothing. I'm going to summon my fleet, and we're going to fight. We will lose, of course."

"So your people will die fighting for you."

"Of course not. We will surrender."

"But you just said you were going to fight."

"We are not going to fight with weapons. We are going to do battle with words."

"I don't understand," Daniel said, a bit baffled.

"I will summon my fleet, and attempt to convince Hades that I will die before returning to be with him. He will not believe me, and I will be forced to surrender. But it is all I can do. What would you suggest?" There was a hint of curious hope in her voice, as if she half expected him to come up with a brilliant plan for victory.

He shook his head, "I am not a military man, lady. I would need to speak with Jack O'Neill. He advises me in such matters."

"Your wounded companion? Come with me." She motioned for Daniel and Teal'c to follow, and stepped through the door. They walked through many silver corridors before they came to another large door, which was opened, towards them. The room was dim, though it looked as if it would normally be brightly lit by the sun which should have come in through the full-length window on the other side.

"Daniel, do you have a thing for alien princesses? Is this your third?" asked Jack, from a bed on the left side of the room. There were several Jaffa, dressed in white robes, attending to his leg. Persephone held a hand out towards him.

"It will not be long before he is well. My healers are very skilled. I once suffered a direct blast from a staff weapon, a wound which should have been fatal, but they saved me."

Daniel ignored Jack's sarcastic dry wit and directed the conversation to the matter at hand.

"Jack, we have a little problem."

Jack turned to face him.

"Oh, only a little one?"

"Yeah...anyway, Hades has come for Persephone. I realize you probably have no idea what that means, so suffice to say, a very powerful Goa'uld is in orbit right now with the bulk of his fleet."

"Never heard of Hades." Jack remarked. "New system lord on the block?"

"No." Persephone replied. "He is not interested in controlling the galaxy. All he wants is me. He has pursued me over many years and many miles. To catch me is his only desire. I do not know what he would do if he had me, if he would simply...stop wandering, or if he would look for some other way to release his anger."

"The point is, we have to stop him," Daniel said. "Any ideas?"

"Me?" said both Jack and Persephone in the same instant.

"Jack," he clarified. "I'm sorry, Persephone, but I don't really think your idea is a very good one."

Persephone shrugged her slight shoulders.

"I suppose you expect me to not take offense to that."

"All right, all right." Jack interjected. "Now, here's what I'm getting from this. If we give Persy to Hades..."

Persephone gaped.

"Jack..." Daniel gave him a LOOK. "That was her idea."

"Oh, come on, Daniel. I'm not going to hand your princess over to the evil snake. I'm saying, if he gets his hands on her, he might decide that he needs a new hobby. Like conquest. Like...coming after us. Right?"

Daniel nodded.

"Yes, that was implied."

"Then it would stand to reason that we can't let that happen."

"Did you have a strategy in mind, O'Neill?" Teal'c asked.

"Glad ya asked, T." Jack sat up, much to the consternation of the healers, who attempted to follow his leg. "Seems we got a few options. One, which isn't really my personal favorite, make a break for the gate, see if we can get a message through. Two, we could call Thor and his folks, and have 'em come kick his sorry ass. Three, we could..."

"Is there something which does not involve death?" Persephone wanted to know.

"There's always risk involved." Jack pointed out.

"I'm not sure Thor would be able to help us, sir. They're pretty busy right now," Carter put in.

"What's three?" inquired Daniel.

"We give the Tok'ra a ring."

"Doesn't that involve plan one?"

"Nooo. That one had Thor in it." Jack said, defensively.

"That was three." Persephone corrected. Jack gave her a caustic glance. Daniel decided not to mention that they were both wrong, and listened attentively as Teal'c spoke.

"Perhaps Major Carter can contact the Tok'ra using the communication device we witnessed in the throne room." Teal'c suggested.

Carter looked doubtful,"I might could. It's not just like dialing a telephone, but I'll give it a shot."

"Sounds like a plan." Jack agreed. "Can I go now?"

One of the healers, a kindly elderly woman, nodded.

"It may be sore." she warned. Jack got to his feet confidently, and immediately looked quite surprised.

"Not bad." he reported, testing the leg.

"If you'd like." Persephone said. "I will take you to the communications center."

"That would be great," Carter nodded. "If we're going to do this, we'll have to do it quickly. Hades will probably think to block communications before long."

"If he has not already." Persephone agreed. She led them across the hall, into a wide room with a low ceiling. Against most of the walls were various panels, blinking and beeping.

"Catchy tune." Jack remarked. Persephone glanced at him strangely, then pointed Carter to one of the panels.

"This one is for long-range communications." she explained. She proceeded to run through a brief tutorial of sorts. When she had finished, Jack's eyes looked mildly glazed over.

"So. Can you make it...work?" he asked, waving a hand towards the machine.

"I think so," she set to work rearranging crystals. Persephone gave Daniel a sideways glance.

"I thank you." she said, then exited the room quickly.

"Ah...where'd she go?" Jack wanted to know.

Daniel was watching the doorway that she had just disappeared through, "I don't know. I'm gonna go figure that out." He hurried after her. She was across the hall again, staring out the window at the cloud-covered valley below.

"I cannot stay here." she said, half to herself, half to Daniel. "Even if he does not destroy the beauty of the place, he knows now where I am. I will not be able to stay without endangering my people. Where are we to go? We have been here for..decades. I do not know if I could relocate them all without my mother's assistance. She always was the strong one."

Daniel placed a careful hand on her shoulder.

"What if we could help?"

"Help relocate a citadel of two thousand people? With Hades waiting above? I do not see how." Persephone gave him a quick, doubtful look.

"I haven't really explained our plan, have I?"

She shook her head, and pushed a strand of silver hair away from her face.

"I did not know you had completed it. I thought you were still uncertain what course of action you will pursue."

"We're pretty sure. It all depends on whether we can get through to the Tok'Ra, and whether they'll be able to help."

"Who are these? The Tok'ra?"

"Aahhh...they're a group of symbiotes and people who live together peacefully. With their help, we may be able to get you out of here, and, with any luck, destroy Hades."

Persephone's green eyes widened.

"They coexist? In harmony? As I and Lianryn do? Could they then be those whom my mother sought? Whom she found? Could she be among them?"

Daniel looked away, not wanting to tell her the truth about her mother, but knowing he had to. At his silence, Persephone turned, and glanced up to meet his eyes.

"There is something you have not told me." she surmised. "I would know. Is it my mother?"

He nodded slowly.

Persephone turned around the rest of the way.

"What? What happened?"

"We, um, encountered your mother about a year ago. She...took control of Major Carter's body. Without her permission."

"My mother did? That is impossible."

"Apparently not, because she did," Daniel faced her, sympathy written all over him.

"She would not have done that unless...I cannot even think of anything that would cause her to do something so terrible. What happened?"

"Her host body was dying. Major Carter- Sam -was trying to resuscitate him, so she did what she thought she had to do. I guess she thought it was her only option."

Persephone looked rather distraught.

"Did you...did you kill her?"

"_WE_ didn't, no. One of the system lords sent an Ashrak. Once we realized what was happening, it was too late. They would both have died if Jolinar hadn't given her life to save Sam's."

"My mother gave her life to save your comrade?" A small flicker of wistful light came back into Persephone's eyes. "That I can believe."

"I'm sorry," Daniel offered, knowing it wouldn't really help.

"Did she ever mention me? Leave any instruction?"

"Sam would be the only one who might know about that. She still carries some of Jolinar's memories."

"Do you think she would be willing to speak of it?"

"I don't know. She might. She took your mother's death pretty badly when it first happened. She grieved for weeks."

"I can understand. Lianryn and I are one, you see. What she feels, I feel, and what I feel, she experiences as well." Persephone closed her eyes slowly, and though her voice had not held the characteristic distortion of the symbiote's presence before, something was different in her tone. "If I were to lose Persephone, it would destroy me, you see." said Lianryn.

Daniel nodded, "I wish I could say I understood, but I've never been blended."

Lianryn glanced at him.

"I encountered Persephone when I was nineteen. Her host was dying, but she still managed to save my life. I shared mine with her in return."

"Sam's father did the same. He was dying, but a symbiote, Selmak, saved his life. By his choice, of course."

"When...If...we ever get out of here alive...Will you take me to see them? The others like myself?"

"Ah..." Daniel let out a long breath. "We'll try. Once we get out of here."

"I sense hesitation." Lianryn remarked. "Is there something wrong?"

"Well, sometimes, our leaders don't like for us to reveal information about our allies. Not to mention our allies themselves are a little...secretive."

Lianryn lowered her head again, and when she spoke, Daniel could tell that it was Persephone who was talking.

"Do you not trust me?"

"I'm not the one you have to convince."

"I see. What must I do to make them believe that I mean them no harm? I know much of Hades, of his tactics...Of his stronghold."

"Yes, see, that is the kind of thing that the Tok'Ra like to hear."

Persephone smiled.

"Will they-"

"Don't mean to ruin the atmosphere, but Carter's made some progress in here." Jack said from the door, jabbing a thumb in the direction of the room across the hall. "Thought you might like to know."

Daniel looked up and blinked several times, "Oh, good, that's good."

Jack nodded.

"Yeah. It is." There was a brief moment of silence, then Jack waved his hand towards the door. "So...c'mon?"

"Right! Coming," he hurried out. Persephone followed, and they entered the other room just as the holographic screen flickered to life in the center of the room. Anise's familiar features appeared in the center of it.

"Greetings." she said, or rather, Freya said. "How may I help you?"

"We were kinda hoping to talk to your boss." Jack told her.

"SG-1?" Anise turned and spoke to someone they could not see, then stepped aside. Martouf moved into their view.

"Colonel O'Neill." He nodded. "Where are you?"

"Ah...Quaint little planet. You wouldn't know it."

Sam adjusted a crystal and bit her lip, "Colonel? I'm not sure how long I can keep this communication going, so we'd better hurry."

"K', listen Marty, Carter says the communications aren't working so great, so we have to hurry."

"I heard her." Martouf said, somewhat dryly.

"Great, all right, well, here's the story. We've got Perse...Persy here, and Hades is coming for her."

"Hades is dead." Martouf frowned. "His lack of willingness to cooperate with the other system lords brought about his downfall."

"Well, you know, Marty, I'd believe you, but the problem with that little theory is that it's WRONG. He's floatin' up there in his damn mothership, waiting to blow the place to hell if Persy doesn't come along to be his...love slave, or whatever." Jack waved a hand.

"I do not understand how..."

"Carter! Tell the man! He listens to you."

Sam stood and moved into view, "It's true, Martouf. Hades is in orbit, and he's about to start destroying villages. We have to get Persephone out of here. Can you help?"

"I'm not sure where you are, Samantha. If you could transmit coordinates, I could tell you whether or not we currently have any ships nearby."

Sam nodded, "Transmitting now...That should do it."

Martouf appeared to be studying something to one side. He surveyed it intently, then smiled.

"Tesilin is on a scouting mission quite near your current location." he reported. "However, I would like to know exactly what risk is involved in this before..." The transmission died abruptly.

"Dammit!" Sam tried futilely for several to minutes to reestablish the communiqué before sitting back on her heels in defeat. "It's no good, sir. The lines have been cut, so to speak."

"You can't fix it?"

She shook her head, "No sir. Hades has all his bases covered."

"Damn!"

"There is still my plan." Persephone reminded them, from the door.

"Uh, milady, I thought we'd established that that plan was a BAD one," Daniel reminded her.

"And if it is the only course of action?"

"Let's get one thing straight. Okay, maybe two things...three." said Jack. "One. I don't hand women over to sick-ass stalkers. Two. Daniel likes you too much to hand you over to the sick-ass stalker. Three. Guys like him piss me off and I'm sure as hell not going to give him his way. Hades, I mean, not Daniel."

"Thanks Jack, that means a lot," Daniel quipped glibly, although his mind was obviously occupied with escape plans. Jack shrugged.

"Any time." There was suddenly a great rumbling overhead, and they all hurried to the window, peering upwards.

"Oh, shit." said Jack, expressing the general sentiment of everyone present. Above, they could just see the outline of a massive craft of some sort. It looked to be at least three times the size of most mother ships.

"Shit doesn't even begin to cover that," Daniel said in a sort of depressed awe.

"It is the weapon of Hades." Persephone sounded quite despondent. "With it, he has destroyed many who have tried to protect me. I have sworn not to let that happen again." She turned and hurried abruptly from the room.

"Do you think she's going to..." Daniel cut himself off, then began again. "Would she really..."

Jack glanced at him, and shrugged.

"She's _your_ princess, Khartoum."

"Shit," Daniel said, and ran after her. "Persephone! Persephone!"


	4. Chapter Four: Torture and Destruction

A/N: We're sorry this was so long in coming, we've been very busy. It's also getting hot 'n steamy here in Texas, so we've not been feeling well. Ugh. Summer heat…

Okay, enough with the excuses. On to the fun stuff.

We love you reviewers, you guys and gals are wonderful! Kisses, cookies, and confetti for you all!

D/N: Quinn is graduating in 3 days. 3 days! w00t! Let's hear a big round of applause for her!

xandria, I have, in your honor, cut down the 'miladys' to an absolute minimum.

KatieMichelleBelle, since you asked nicely, we will try to find a way to work in some Jolinar flashbacks, if it is at all possible.

WARNING: Much- oh, actually not _too _much, Danny whumping.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Persephone was almost to the other end of the hall, and when she reached it, she pressed the button beside the door, and it opened. She turned to face him just as she stepped inside, and there was a mournful determination in her eyes.

"Thank you," she said. "For everything." She reached for the button on the other side, and pressed it. Daniel leapt forward and crashed spectacularly into the door. He angrily slammed his hand against the panel and when the door did not open immediately, he repeated the action. It slid open, to reveal Persephone, standing across the room beside her throne. She held up her hand, adorned with the silver hand device.

"Come no further." she instructed.

Daniel stopped, breathless from running. His blue eyes met hers evenly.

"You wouldn't."

"I will if you leave me no choice. Priam is dead. How many more must die before you realize there is no other way?"

"There's _always _another way. A very wise - well, maybe not that wise, person told me that."

"Not this time." she said, shaking her head.

At that moment, one of the Jaffa who stood guarding the other door stepped forward.

"You cannot let her do this. We would rather die for her than let Hades have her. And the hand device-"

Persephone pressed the button, and made a dash for the center of the room. Unfortunately for her, Daniel was faster. He intercepted her, and pulled her back against the wall.

She struggled briefly, but was, obviously, unable to get free.

"Why are you _doing _this?"

"Why are _you_?" he countered.

"You know my reasons!"

"Look around you! Your jaffa would die in your name! It is their right to choose!"

"Is it not my right to decide whether they have to?"

"Persephone...milady..._please. _Wait. Just a little while. Give the Tok'Ra a chance."

"They are not coming! You saw the transmission as well as I!"

"They didn't say they weren't coming! They didn't have a chance to!"

"And how long do you expect me to wait?"

"I don't know! I just know you have to! This isn't the only way!" Daniel pleaded with her.

Persephone struggled again briefly, but finally stopped.

"Would it not solve everything?" she asked.

Daniel sensed that she was willing to speak, and eased off a little, moving a foot or so away. "No. Suicide never solves anything."

"I'm not going to _die!_"

"If you go up there to him, you might as well be."

"He wouldn't kill me. I spent a good deal of time with him before, you know. Or you should know, since you are a scribe."

Danny had the decency to flush a little and look away for a moment.

"What he will do to you is worse than death."

Persephone lowered her head.

"I survived before."

"Survival is no kind of life. You know that, or you would never have left him."

"Do you want me to just _wait_ until he begins his attack?"

"I don't have all the answers, Persephone. You know that."

"No one does." she said, her eyes clouded with sorrow. "As long as he lives, I now know that I shall never escape him."

"That's not true. I know, I've been in situations like this before."

Persephone appeared mildly interested.

"Such as?"

"It's long story, actually."

"I see. If I agree to refrain from contacting Hades until we see whether your friends will arrive, will you allow me to go if they do not?"

"That's not really for me to say..."

"Why not? Are you not the leader?"

"Well. No. Not exactly."

"But you said that you were. Of course, you also called yourself Khartoum, but..."

"Yeah, um, I lied."

Persephone took a step away from him.

"You lied to me? Why?"

"Because I didn't know if you were a Goa'uld. I'm sorry."

"I have been lied to before." Persephone shrugged. "What is one more time? Is there anything else you have told me which is less than true?"

"Nothing that I can recall right now. If I think of anything, I'll let you know, though," he assured her. Persephone sighed.

"What would be so wrong with me leaving? My people would be safe, you and your friends would be safe...I _would_ tell my Jaffa not to harm you, you know. Is that what worries you?"

"No, that's not it at all!" Daniel exclaimed in frustration. "It's the idea of letting you go off to a life of slavery; it's against all our rules and policies and morals and everything."

Persephone raised a doubtful eyebrow.

"It's not against your rules and policies and morals to lie to me, though?"

"That was self-preservation!" Daniel insisted.

"However did you arrive at that conclusion?"

"We had just been surrounded and captured by jaffa! They dragged us to your palace, bragging all the way about Demeter's domain. And when we got here, you were sitting on a throne and none of the jaffa dared look up at you. Tell me that isn't classic Goa'uld style. "

Persephone's eyes saddened.

"I apologize. I have tried to tell them...You see, they are not really my jaffa. They are...were...my mother's. I have told them not to go about bowing and such, but they will not listen. I suppose it is their way."

"Yeah, I guess it is. I happen to know a lot about them. In fact, one of them is a very good friend of mine."

Persephone flushed crimson.

"Then the other truly is your leader, as he said, I presume. The one who looks at me as if he thinks me a silly child?"

Daniel half smiled, "That's just his way. He looks at most people like that. Well not exactly that way, but kind of like that."

"Hm." Persephone said, thoughtfully. "I know I asked you before if you would stay. And you said you could not. But what if you were to become my most trusted advisor. As Priam was. I will miss him, you know. He was my friend."

Daniel shook his head, "I am honored. But what I said before was true. They need me, I'm afraid to say."

Persephone nodded.

"I suspected you might say that. What if I were to tell you that I truly love Hades? Would you let me go, then?"

"I don't think I'd believe you."

"_I_ am not the one who has done the lying, you know."

"Well if you said that you loved Hades, you'd either be lying then, or you were lying before. Either way, I wouldn't be able to trust you, and I couldn't let you go," Daniel crossed his arms, drew his eyebrows together in a sort of frown and watched her while she tried to sort what he had just said

"What?" Persephone stared at him blankly.

"If you said you loved Hades you'd have lied. Either then, or before when you said he forced you to stay with him."

"Oh." She hung her head, uncomfortably. "What do I have to say to make you let me go, then?"

"I'm not sure you _can _say anything to convince me."

"And who made you my guardian so suddenly?" she demanded.

"Do you want to know about your mother?"

Persephone swallowed, and fixed her eyes on him in a cold glare.

"How dare you?"

"How dare I what?" he put on his best innocent face.

"Use my mother against me. What gives you the right to dictate what I do or do not do with my own person?"

"I'm not trying to use her against you, I'm trying to help you."

"By keeping me from saving my people? I fail to see how...Oh, Hades take you."

"Gladly." came a voice from above, almost like thunder. Red light shimmered around Daniel, and suddenly, he found himself in the center of a great, dark room. He turned in surprise, and looked around, trying to discern any kind of shape in the shadows.

"Hello?" he called.

"Welcome to the ship of the tormented and damned, Daniel Jackson." said the same voice, in a somewhat quieter tone. "Please, have a seat. We should become acquainted. After all, it seems we have something in common."

"I hope not," Daniel said as he looked around for somewhere to sit. A red light flickered on, revealing a comfortable-looking chair. Hades, whom Daniel recognized from the communication earlier, strode into view.

"I think you know of what I speak." he said, confidently.

Daniel tilted head back and to the side a little, saying nothing.

Hades sat down in a chair of his own across the room.

"She is...so beautiful, is she not?" he asked.

Daniel stared and remained silent.

"But lately, she has grown..distant. She loves me, oh, yes, she adores me, and everything I am, but I think something has drawn her attention elsewhere. Perhaps it is you? I believe that is possible. I am going to ask you some questions, only a few, but you must answer all of them truthfully. Do you understand?"

"I understand, but I will say nothing."

"You may change your mind. The fires of Hades burn hotter than you may be able to imagine. Now, tell me, what has happened to Demeter? Why will she not answer my hails?"

"Demeter. Is that some kind of fruit? I've never had it."

Hades scowled.

"Do you think I know nothing? I have been watching you, and my treasured Persephone. Tell me, what type of force field is she using?"

Daniel stared at him with a puzzled frown, "Force field?"

"Why can I not transport her onto my craft as I did you? What is she using?"

"Oh, that. Well, now. Let me think. I have no idea."

"Lying to me will not benefit your position." Hades assured him. Daniel heard a brief hum, and found that he could no longer move. There seemed to be a red haze around him, surrounding him on all sides. Worse, it seemed to be growing warmer. He looked down, and pressed his lips together in a mixture of resignation and resolution.

"Do I need to ask you again?"

"No," Daniel said, and paused, smiling faintly at Hades' inquiring smirk. "I won't tell you anything, no matter how many times you ask."

Hades glared angrily, and Daniel could feel the field around him growing warmer. It was, by now, almost as warm as he could bear.

"I do not want to destroy her citadel." he said. "Tell me, how can I gain entrance?"

Daniel clenched his jaw tightly shut and stared stubbornly at Hades as a drop of sweat slid down his face.

"I know you believe that she loves you." Hades said, patronizingly. "But she loves me, you see, and is only using you. You may as well tell me."

"Don't- love- her..." Daniel managed.

"I do not believe you. Tell me."

"What! Tell what?"

"How do I get in? What type of force field is she using?" The heat grew more intense.

"No...don't know," Daniel hissed in pain and strained against the invisible bonds that held him.

"Why are you lying for her?" Hades demanded, and the field around Daniel grew tighter and hotter. This time, he was unable to keep from crying out. Shutting his mouth quickly, he bit his lip to keep from doing so again. Hades came to stand directly in front of him.

"Tell me. Tell me how to get into her fortress." The field tightened further, and Daniel suddenly felt as if fire were consuming his body from the inside out. His eyes widened as he tasted blood and realized just how hard he was biting down. He ran his tongue across his bottom lip and concentrated on thinking about anything but where he was. _Latin, Danny! _That was it. He silently recited Latin verbs to himself. _Amo, amas, amat, amamus, amatis, amant_.

And just when the room around him began to fade to black, the field was deactivated, allowing him to fall to the black stone floor. He inhaled deeply, gasping for breath.

"Don't know anything," he whispered quietly.

"We will see." said Hades, and left the room. Almost just as the door shut behind him, a circle on the ceiling above Daniel lit up. He only just had time, and the presence of mind to roll out of the way before the ring transporter activated. After having done so, he looked up to see who would be be foolish or evil enough to voluntarily come aboard Hades' mothership. He didn't find out just then, however, because he passed out before he could determine anything. As he did, Jack and Persephone were left standing in the center of the circle. Jack glanced around.

"Hellooo? Anybody ho...?" He caught sight of Daniel just then, and dropped to his knees beside the younger man. "Oh, shit." he said, for the second time that day. "Daniel? Daniel, can you hear me?" He motioned for Persephone, who joined him beside Daniel. "What the hell...He looks like...like they tried to make dinner out of him."

"This is what he is capable of. This is why I cannot allow him to touch my people." she explained.

"We gotta get him out of here." Jack said, surveying his fallen comrade grimly. "Before they finish cooking him." He pulled Daniel, as carefully as he could, inside the circle, and nodded to Persephone. She touched a small jewel on her hand device, and the rings descended around them. The door opened, and Hades rushed in, accompanied by his guard. Jack waved.

"Ciao." he said, and the transporter brought them back down to the planet. As soon as the transport was complete, Persephone rushed to her throne, and pressed something. She sat down on the edge of the seat and let out a sigh of relief. Daniel blinked several times, then squeezed his eyes shut again.

"Ow."

Jack stood beside him, frowning down at him thoughtfully.

"What the hell did he do?" he demanded.

"The fires of Hades cannot be quenched." Persephone said, and it was obvious she was quoting something. She came to stand beside Jack.

"I have to help him, or he will die."

"Am I stopping you?" Jack waved a hand towards Daniel.

Persephone held out her hand, palm downwards, and closed her eyes. The silver hand device which adorned her arm glowed, and a stream of silver-green light sprang forth, spiraling towards Daniel's chest.

"I know this will hurt, but it will only last a moment." she said. The light grew more intense, and shifted closer to white than silver at the center. Green flecks wound about the core, and he could feel them slip into his skin with an intense stinging. Persephone shuddered once, but continued to frown in concentration as the device continued its work. The outer layer of raw, burned skin began to heal slowly. Daniel moaned softly and winced. The beam of light faltered, and Persephone swayed slightly. Jack set a hand on her shoulder to steady her. She took a shaking breath, and the light flickered once more.

"No..no..." She bit her lip, and the light continued for a few seconds more before finally slipping back into the hand device. Persephone opened her eyes, and sighed. "He is well." she said, then fainted.

Sam rushed in and was about to speak when she saw Daniel and Persephone both lying insensate on the cold marble floor.

"Sir...I take it the mission was a success?"

Jack raised his eyebrows, and shrugged.

"Oh, yeah. We kicked their asses."

"Sir, are they all right?" she inquired. As if in answer, Daniel cried out loudly, and sat straight up, breathing heavily. Jack and Carter both hurried back to his side.

"Welcome back." Jack said, patting him on the back. "Keep breathing, that's it."

Daniel nodded, gasping as his breath rasped in his chest. "Thanks," he wheezed.

"Carter, you _did_ leave Teal'c by the phone, right?" Jack said. "In case Marty calls back?"

"Yessir," she replied, her eyes still fixed on Daniel.

"Daniel...What the hell's wrong with Persy?" Jack asked, waving towards said woman's still form.

"Pers-" Daniel attempted to turn and looked backwards, and promptly sent himself into a coughing fit.

"Daniel? You all right?" Jack gave him another good thump on the back. It didn't seem to help, as the poor archaeologist simply choked harder for a minute.

"Thanks, Jack. You're a real pal," he whispered hoarsely. Jack ignored him, and bent over Persephone.

"Ah...I think she's alive." he reported. Daniel rolled over carefully, and laid a hand across her neck gently.

"She's got a steady pulse, but I'm no doctor. Of medicine, anyway."

Persephone opened her eyes.

"That was...less than enjoyable." she remarked. Daniel smiled, relief spreading across his face.

"Persephone?"

"Oh, wonderful. You're alive. It would have been terrible if I'd done this to myself, and then you'd died."

Daniel chuckled a bit, but quickly stopped himself before he began to cough again.

"You shouldn't have done that," he reprimanded her. She blinked slowly.

"Oh, why not?"

"You nearly killed yourself."

"I did not. I merely robbed myself of twelve years of my life. Which I shall not miss, I do not think."

"Oh, wonderful, that's better, then."

"I thought you might agree." Persephone pushed herself up on one arm and took a deep breath. "I am so very sorry."

"You're sorry. She takes twelve years off her own life for me, and she's sorry," Daniel looked around as if he expected to find the answer on the walls or the ceiling.

"Not for that. Pah, I'd do it again. I'm sorry for what Hades did to you."

"Well...thank you."

Persephone cringed.

"That." she said. "Is the last thing you should be telling me. Remember, I was with Hades for some time. I know what he does to those who..displease him. I have watched it with my own eyes."

"Well, actually, it feels a bit like jumper cables," he said bravely.

"Oh, hell, Daniel." Jack looked away. Persephone simply looked confused.

"It has little to do with jumping." Teal'c said from the door.

"Got that right, Teal'c," Daniel clambered to his feet and offered a hand to Persephone. She took it, tentatively, and stood, a bit unsteadily.

"It may be closer to ten years, actually." she offered. He smiled, almost grimly.

"That's better, then."

"What the hell?" Jack demanded. "How is that better?"

"Do the math, Jack. Ten is better than twelve," Daniel spoke to him slowly, as if he were a child.

Jack gave him a sardonic glance.

"By two years. That's a lot better?"

Daniel opened his mouth to give Jack a withering retort, but before he could get the words out, Hades' thundering voice was heard overhead.

"You have one hour during which to decide if you are ready to give me what I want. If, at the end of this, I do not have Persephone in my arms once more, I shall destroy this world."

"Well this could be a problem," Daniel blinked and looked around out of the corners of his eyes. Jack tilted back on his heels once, and sighed.

"I'm getting real tired of his big mouth." he said.

Persephone sighed.

"I do not suppose you have another brilliant plan, Daniel?" she asked, using his name for the first time.

"Brilliant plan! I didn't have a brilliant plan the first time, I mean, what the hell do you want me to do?"

"You seemed to have the answers before." she pointed out.

"Don't mean to rain on your parade." said Jack. "But we now have...fifty-six and a half minutes."

"Sir? We have to destroy that ship. I don't see another way."

"That's a great idea, Carter. Go ahead."

"Well, thank you, sir, but I can't do it by my self."

"Wanna tell us what we can do to help?"

"What kind of explosives have you got?"

Jack shrugged.

"Same kind as I usually do. Only they took 'em from us when we got here."

"I can take you to your weapons." Persephone offered, and took a quick, if somewhat unsteady step towards the door. Daniel quickly moved to help her, offering a supportive arm. She shook her head. "I shall be fine. I need a moment to regain my balance, that is all." She walked to the door, and opened it.

"Down the hall." she pointed. "The room to the left. It is easy to find."

Sam gave her a nod as she hurried out, "Thanks."

Jack followed, motioning for Daniel to follow him.

"I'll be there in a minute, just go on," the archaeologist told him, and turned back to Persephone. She rested her hand on the door frame.

"For what are you waiting?"

"Are you sure you're all right?" he asked , concerned by her hesitant movements. "I get the feeling you're hiding something from me."

"I have told you where your weapons are." Persephone pointed out. "I will be fine. Hurry. There is not much time."

"Aren't you coming?"

"No. I must stay here. Our shields are fluctuating, and I wish to be here should there rise the need to adjust them."

"I won't be gone long," he said, taking a only two steps down the hall. She nodded, and stepped back into the room. The door slid shut.

"Daniel! C'mon!"

He frowned, but jogged down the length of the hallway where the rest of SG-1 waited. They all stepped into a room, where there appeared to be a massive cache of weapons of many varieties.

"This is new," Daniel remarked cheerfully as he looked around for his handgun.

"Sweet." Jack remarked, picking up a small gold weapon. It glowed green as he picked it up, and he almost dropped it.

"I wouldn't touch that, if I were you," Daniel advised, although he was picking up another of the odd devices himself.

Jack set the weapon down.

"Anyone sees mine, let me know."

"I have located my own." Teal'c announced solemnly, picking up his staff weapon from another pile. "But there are many here which I do not recognize."

"Yeah, me either. But this one..." Daniel pushed his glasses up and peered at it closely, "this one has an inscription."

"What's it say?" Jack asked. "Maybe 'To blow Hades to hell, press this button'?"

Daniel glanced up at him briefly without lifting his head, "No, it's more like a phrase. There isn't really a direct translation, but roughly, I'd say its something like, "Strike, O Zeus' mighty rage, vanquish those who would dare oppose you."

"Got any idea how it _works_?"

"Well..." he turned it over and around in his hands. "No. Give me a minute."

Jack glanced at his watch.

"We have forty-five."

" 'Kay," Daniel nodded, "There's more writing on this side."

"And it says..." Jack waved a hand, leadingly.

"A gift from Zeus, bestowed upon Demeter, that she might reclaim her daughter at the- what is that word?"

"I don't know, Daniel. What _is_ that word?"

"I think it's pre-destined...no, I think appointed would be closer..."

"The appointed _what_?"

Before Daniel could answer, there was a great thundering noise from above. Jack stepped from the room quickly, and went to the window at the end of the hall.

"Oh, hell." he said.

"What? What is it?" Daniel actually looked up. Teal'c and Carter went to stand beside Jack.

"This is but a taste of what awaits you if you do not return to me what is mine." said the voice of Hades overhead. Daniel rose and went to the window.

"Guys, what's going on?"

"That." Jack said, as Daniel came to stand beside them. The sight that awaited him was breathtakingly horrible. The beautiful, lush valley was now completely engulfed in flame. The river at the bottom was now out of sight, lost in a cloud of smoke and steam.


End file.
